The Role of Interoperability in Ensuring School Safety

Ensuring the safety of students and faculty members within educational institutions is a top priority for schools and colleges across the nation. In recent years, rising concerns over issues like gun violence, mass shootings and assaults on campuses have emphasized the need for robust security measures. 

A study conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics found that during the 2019-2020 school year, 77% of public schools reported that one or more incidents of crime had taken place on their campus, totaling 1.4 million incidents. Another study by ADT Security found that 82% of American college students don’t feel safe on campus.  

The case for the urgency of increased school safety is evident.  

Around the country, state governments are taking action, such as the implementation of House Bill 3 in Texas requiring armed officers on every campus.  

However, the task of managing campus safety operations is complex, involving record-keeping, compliance with reporting requirements and maintaining efficiency. To address these challenges and enhance campus emergency response, it is imperative to embrace innovative technology, particularly systems that emphasize interoperability. 

Interoperability for Enhanced Response 

Interoperability is an essential feature in modern emergency response and public safety systems that allows agencies to work together seamlessly, leveraging technology to improve response times and coordination. 

This is a critical component for campus police agencies to improve response and overall safety.  

Public schools and colleges often share space with neighboring communities, and they must address public safety issues that extend beyond their campuses. To effectively respond to emergencies and incidents, school security departments need technology that breaks down the boundaries between them and neighboring agencies. 

A real-world example of the power of interoperability can be seen at the University of Maryland Baltimore (UMB), a campus closely intertwined with the surrounding community. With the power of interoperable technology, UMB’s police department gains immediate access to the same information as local agencies.  

When an emergency call is received by Baltimore City, the UMB police department can coordinate response units, and communicate with fire departments and EMS to ensure a well-coordinated response to any threat or emergency. This technology fosters a partnership between the university and local law enforcement, allowing UMB officers to respond quickly to nearby incidents, even beyond the campus boundaries. 

Interoperability’s significance extends beyond campus premises. Students can face emergency situations anywhere, and having a real-time connection and data sharing between campus security and local law enforcement is crucial. This ensures that students are kept safe whether they are on or off campus. The ability to coordinate response efforts across geographical boundaries is vital in addressing the dynamic and unpredictable nature of campus security concerns. 

CentralSquare’s Unify™ (CAD-to-CAD) 

CentralSquare’s Unify™ (CAD-to-CAD) is built around an intelligent hub with an interactive portal that allows users to view shared incidents and resources in the area.  

Unify works with any CAD system to support full interoperability to improve response efforts. 

This is particularly important because emergencies are not limited to jurisdictions or disciplines. Whether it is an assault, armed suspect, fire or natural disaster, effective response depends on the ability to share critical information with those who need it.  

As you consider what it takes to coordinate emergency response for your agency or school, think about your current operations for information sharing.  

How do you alert neighboring schools and other agencies if there is an incident? What is your current process to inform a hospital that there is an incoming transport? Are ambulance providers able to directly message your communications team with questions?  

Unify provides an advanced level of information sharing, allowing your agency to go beyond basic situational awareness. You have the capability to share only what you want with any organization you coordinate response with.   

As schools continue to refine safety processes and crisis communication plans, it is crucial to have the technology that allows seamless communication between police agencies, school administration and other first responders. Ultimately, this can make a difference in saving more lives. 

Smarter Resource Utilization 

A reality of the public safety industry is that there is an increased demand for improved safety measures, however, the resources are not always there. Unify empowers agencies to make sure that their resources are located and deployed in places where they will have the most benefit.  

In a school safety context, resource allocation involves not only law enforcement but also emergency EMS and other agencies. Interoperability allows these agencies to share information about their resources, including the availability of officers, medical personnel and specialized equipment. This coordination ensures that the right resources are deployed to the school as needed. 

Interoperability also enables schools and responding agencies to optimize the use of available resources. For example, if multiple schools in a district are affected by an emergency, interoperability allows for the efficient allocation of law enforcement officers and EMS to address multiple incidents simultaneously. This prevents resource shortages at any one location. 

Ensuring a Comprehensive Approach 

Interoperability should be an integral part of a school‘’s safety strategy. To achieve this, educational institutions should invest in technologies that are designed to work together seamlessly. 

By embracing interoperability, schools can create a safer learning environment where rapid response and efficient coordination are prioritized.  

Connect with our team today to see how CentralSquare’s Unify solution can help your agency improve safety response.